Crucial COVID drugs now ineffective against new variants

KARAH RUCKER: THE COVID HEALTH EMERGENCY IS SET TO END IN A FEW MONTHS — AS THE TIME OF YEAR WHEN VIRUSES ARE MOST RAMPANT IS COMING TO A CLOSE. BUT EVEN SO, THERE’S A NEW GROWING CONCERN ABOUT COVID…REGARDING IT’S VARIANTS AND HOW WE TREAT THEM.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES, WHICH WERE A KEY TOOL TO COMBATING THE DISEASE, ARE NOW INEFFECTIVE AGAINST SOME NEW VARIANTS. THAT’S A CRUCIAL GROUP OF COVID ANTIBODY DRUGS NO LONGER WORKING.
THIS IS PUTTING IMMUNO-COMPROMISED PATIENTS AT HIGH RISK — ACCORDING TO HEALTH OFFICIALS.

MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE MEANT TO BOOST THE IMMUNE SYSTEM AND KEEP HIGH-RISK PATIENTS OUT OF THE HOSPITAL. BUT THEY’VE FAILED TO KEEP UP AS THE VIRUS CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND MUTATE.

SOME ANTIVIRAL DRUGS, SUCH AS PAXLOVID, ARE STILL SAID TO BE EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON VARIANTS.
WHILE ANOTHER — THE MERCK ANTIVIRAL DRUG — IS SAID TO BE CREATING NEW MUTATIONS OF THE CORONAVIRUS.

WE HAVE A REPORT ON THAT STUDY YOU CAN FIND ON OUR WEBSITE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.